The archetypal hero appears in all religions, mythologies, and stories of the world. He is an expression of our personal and collective unconscious, as theorized by Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell. All archetypal heroes share certain characteristics. THE HERO

These heroes are always fictional. All societies have similar hero stories not because they coincidentally made them up on their own, but because heroes express a deep psychological aspect of human existence. THE HERO

When the hero slays a “monster,” he is not literally killing it. The “monster” is an aspect of the unconscious, such as lust or rage. The hero stories teach us to deal with our own natures and bring out the best in us. THE HERO

Jung formed the concept of archetype and collective unconscious to explain the commonality of dream images and situations found in all people. Jung believed individual and social behavior and thought have their roots in a common palette of characters and situations the mind retains from early human consciousness development. Stories are just dreams that are written down! CARL JUNG

JOSEPH CAMPBELL Campbell studied the world's religions, art, and stories, and discovered common threads throughout all, including the hero. Campbell believed that mythology is the collective "dream" of mankind, the "song of the universe."

Archetype: A recurring pattern of images, situations, or symbols found in the mythology, religion, art, and dreams of cultures around the world. HERE WE GO!

The hero is often born either in danger, or into royalty. Not always a literal birth! UNUSUAL BIRTH

Someone (a herald) or something (an event) calls the hero to action. Can be either voluntary or involuntary. THE CALL TO ACTION

Can be in the form of either a character, such as a sage guide. Or an object, such as a talisman. SUPERNATURAL HELP

The Hero always has companions – usually friends – who help him on his journey. Often, the companions are unusual, inhuman, or otherwise different. COMPANIONS

The jumping off point for the adventure which marks the boundary from the known to the unknown There is usually a presence which blocks the way. The hero defeats, conciliates, or is murdered by the shadow and enters the unknown such as a cave or the belly of a whale. THE THRESHOLD

Hero is tested physically or psychologically. (Often both!) The hero is required to perform great feats In the end, the hero must face his greatest fear alone even though he may have a companion. Eventually, he is reborn and transformed INITIATION AND TESTS

The hero meets a “goddess” character. She is almost always female. Often, the hero marries or receives other help from her. As always, this marriage does not have to be literal. Twilight is NOT a hero’s journey. There’s nothing heroic about dating a guy 100 years older than you. HOWEVER, Alice would be the goddess character if there was anything redeemable about that horrible, horrible franchise. THE GODDESS

The hero encounters an obstacle which tempts him to abandon his journey or do something un-hero-like. This is often a woman, but it could be any number of temptations.  This chick is really creepy. THE TEMPTRESS

The hero reaches his lowest point. He may die, appear to have died, or symbolically die. He is separated from the world. Often, he is resurrected, either literally, metaphorically, or symbolically. BELLY OF THE WHALE

Hero either redeems father’s evil deeds or gains recognition by his father/creator. ATONEMENT WITH FATHER

Hero is rewarded spiritually at the end of his life APOTHEOSIS

Sometimes the hero steals something that benefits humans, such as fire, an elixir of long life, or a bride. ELIXIR THEFT

Because of the new knowledge, the hero may not want to return. There is a flight from a pursuer which marks the return back to the known world. Once the hero returns, he is a product of 2 worlds with strong powers. He restores and heals society. Sometimes the society accepts his gifts while other times they may not be ready. THE RETURN

HEROIC ARCHETYPES Hero as warrior (Odysseus): A near god-like hero faces physical challenges and external enemies. Hero as lover (Prince Charming): A pure love motivates the hero to complete his quest. Hero as Scapegoat (Jesus): Hero suffers for the sake of others. Transcendent Hero: The hero of tragedy whose fatal flaw brings about his downfall, but not without achieving some kind of transforming realization or wisdom (Greek and Shakespearean tragedies—Oedipus, Hamlet, Macbeth, etc.) Romantic/Gothic Hero: Hero/lover with a decidedly dark side (Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre). Proto-Feminist Hero: Female heroes (The Awakening by Kate Chopin). Apocalyptic Hero: Hero who faces the possible destruction of society. Anti-Hero: A non-hero, given the vocation of failure, frequently humorous (Homer Simpson). Defiant Anti-hero: Opposer of society’s definition of heroism/goodness. (Heart of Darkness) Unbalanced Hero: The Protagonist who has (or must pretend to have) mental or emotional deficiencies (Hamlet, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest). The Other—the Denied Hero: The protagonist whose status or essential otherness makes heroism possible (Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan). The Superheroic: Exaggerates the normal proportions of humanity; frequently has divine or supernatural origins. In some sense, the superhero is one apart, someone who does not quite belong, but who is nonetheless needed by society. (Mythological heroes, Superman)

ARCHETYPAL JOURNEYS The quest for identity The epic journey to find the promised land/to found the good city The quest for vengeance The warrior’s journey to save his people The search for love (to rescue the princess/damsel in distress) The journey in search of knowledge The tragic quest: penance or self-denial The fool’s errand The quest to rid the land of danger The grail quest (the quest for human perfection)

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HERO’S JOURNEY The hero is naïve and inexperienced. The hero meets monsters or monstrous men. The hero has a strange, wise being as a mentor. The hero yearns for the beautiful lady who is sometimes his guide or inspiration. The hero must go on a journey, learn a lesson, change in some way, and return home. The hero often crosses a body of water or travels on a bridge. The hero is born and raised in a rural setting away from cities. The origin of the hero is mysterious, or the hero losses his/her parents at a young age, being raised by animals or a wise guardian. The hero returns to the land of his/her birth in disguise or as an unknown. The hero is special, one of a kind. He/she might represent a whole nation or culture.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HERO’S JOURNEY The hero struggles for something valuable and important. The hero has help from divine or supernatural forces. The hero has a guide or guides. The hero goes through a rite of passage or initiation, an event that marks a change from an immature to a more mature understanding of the world. The hero undergoes some type of ritual or ceremony after his/her initiation. The hero has a loyal band of companions. The hero makes a stirring speech to his/her companions. The hero engages in tests or contests of strength (physical and/or mental) and shows pride in his/her excellence. The hero suffers an unhealable wound, sometimes an emotional or spiritual wound from which the hero never completely recovers.

CHARACTER ARCHETYPES The Hero The Hero is a protagonist whose life is a series of well-marked adventures. The circumstances of his birth are unusual, and he is raised by a guardian. He will have to leave his kingdom, only to return to it upon reaching manhood. Characterized by courage, strength, and honor, the hero will endure hardship, even risk his life for the good of all. Leaves the familiar to enter an unfamiliar and challenging world. The Mentor The Mentor is an older, wiser teacher to the initiates. He often serves as a father or mother figure. He gives the hero gifts (weapons, food, magic, information), serves as a role model or as hero’s conscience. The Devil Figure This character is evil incarnate. Sometimes the devil figure has the potential to be good. This person is usually saved by the love of the hero.

The Platonic Ideal A woman who is a source of inspiration to the hero, who has an intellectual rather than physical attraction to her. Damsel in Distress A vulnerable woman who needs to be rescued by the hero. She is often used as a trap to ensnare the unsuspecting hero. The Temptress or Black Goddess Characterized by sensuous beauty, this woman is one to whom the protagonist is physically attracted and who ultimately brings about his downfall. May appear as a witch or vampire. Star-Crossed Lovers Two characters engaged in a love affair fated to end tragically for one or both due to the disapproval of society, friends, family, or some tragic situation.

SYMBOLIC ARCHETYPES Light vs. Darkness Light usually suggests hope, renewal, or intellectual illumination; darkness implies the unknown, ignorance, or despair. Fire and Ice Fire represents knowledge, light, life, and rebirth, while ice, like the desert, represents ignorance, darkness, sterility, and death. Nature vs. Tech. Nature is good while technology is evil.

Water vs. Desert Because Water is necessary to life and growth, it commonly appears as a birth symbol, as baptism symbolizes a spiritual birth. Rain, rivers, oceans, etc. also function the same way. The Desert suggests the opposite. Colors Red: blood, sacrifice, passion, disorder Green: growth, hope, fertility Blue: highly positive, security, tranquility, spiritual purity Black: darkness, chaos, mystery, the unknown, death, wisdom, evil, melancholy White: light, purity, innocence, timelessness (negatives: death, horror, supernatural) Yellow: enlightenment, wisdom Numbers 3—light, spiritual awareness, unity (holy trinity), male principle 4—associated with the circle, life cycle, four seasons, female principle, earth, nature, elements 7—the most potent of all symbolic numbers signifying the union of three and four, the completion of a cycle, perfect order, perfect number, religious symbol